'the first time that a commoner has
ever been given more than 17 guns.'

0:02:20

0:02:25

..and a show that used to have his
father in stitches

0:02:25

0:02:27

back in the '60s.

0:02:27

0:02:29

Richard, it's great having you here.

0:02:30

0:02:32

Today's a celebration of some
TV classics,

0:02:32

0:02:35

some wonderful bits that will take
you, hopefully, down memory lane.

0:02:35

0:02:38

Stuff that you've chosen.

0:02:38

0:02:40

So, we are going to rewind the clock

0:02:40

0:02:41

and this is a very young
Richard Ridings.

0:02:41

0:02:43

Richard Ridings was born in
Henley-on-Thames in 1958 to parents

0:02:46

0:02:51

Doreen and Robert, who was
a headmaster at a residential

0:02:51

0:02:54

school for asthmatic boys.

0:02:54

0:02:57

He and his older siblings,
twins Jonathan and Sarah,

0:02:57

0:03:00

had free rein of the school

0:03:00

0:03:02

and a young Richard was often found
playing around the grounds -

0:03:02

0:03:06

a freedom that allowed him
to explore his active

0:03:06

0:03:08

and creative sides.

0:03:08

0:03:10

Famed for his voice as well
as his acting skills,

0:03:11

0:03:14

after training at Bristol's
Old Vic, Richard

0:03:14

0:03:16

starred in a variety of roles
across TV and film.

0:03:16

0:03:20

And the demand for his talents has
ensured that he has

0:03:20

0:03:22

remained on our screens for over
three decades.

0:03:22

0:03:26

-So, where did you grow up, Richard?

-It's a... Grew up?

0:03:28

0:03:30

Or have you ever grown up?

0:03:30

0:03:32

Well, now, that's a good question,
actually, because part of me

0:03:32

0:03:35

really hasn't. No.

0:03:35

0:03:36

The child is still very much alive
within me, I think,

0:03:36

0:03:40

but my dad was headmaster.

0:03:40

0:03:41

But he was headmaster of a very,
very large school.

0:03:41

0:03:46

Not a lot of pupils, but just
a very, very, very big building.

0:03:46

0:03:49

So, yeah,
the first ten years of my life,

0:03:49

0:03:51

we had these marvellous grounds,
a lot of running around.

0:03:51

0:03:54

-And you had a telly.

-And we had
a telly.

-Yeah?

-We had a telly, yeah.

0:03:54

0:03:57

And so, where was your telly?
Where's your telly situated?

0:03:57

0:03:59

Telly. Now, I seem to recall it
was in the dining room to start

0:03:59

0:04:02

with, but then later,
moved into the sitting room.

0:04:02

0:04:05

And my earliest memories are...

0:04:05

0:04:07

-Watch With Mother...

-Yes.

0:04:07

0:04:09

-Andy Pandy.

-Andy Pandy
and Looby Loo.

0:04:09

0:04:12

-I had a Looby Loo.

-Did you?

0:04:12

0:04:13

I carried it everywhere. Yeah, first
five years of my life,

0:04:13

0:04:16

I had a Looby Loo.

0:04:16

0:04:17

You do not strike me as a man
who'd have a Looby Loo.

0:04:17

0:04:20

No, I did I had...
I loved Looby Loo.

0:04:20

0:04:22

-We are going to go to your first
memory, Richard.

-Right, OK.

0:04:28

0:04:31

Just have a little look.

0:04:31

0:04:33

-This is Winston Churchill's funeral.

-Yes.

0:04:37

0:04:41

The TV had moved into the sitting
room by now.

0:04:41

0:04:43

Maybe, maybe in honour of
Winston Churchill,

0:04:43

0:04:46

-it was moved into the sitting room.

-Right.

0:04:46

0:04:48

But I can just remember
sitting there going,

0:04:48

0:04:50

-"Oh, this is a bit grand."

-This is 1965.

0:04:50

0:04:53

'The guns ring out.
A salute of 19 guns...'

0:04:55

0:04:58

A funeral may seem like an unusual
first TV memory for six-year-old

0:04:58

0:05:02

Richard, but that goes to show the
magnitude of the event...

0:05:02

0:05:05

..and also how long the programme
was actually on for -

0:05:07

0:05:10

four hours and five minutes.

0:05:10

0:05:13

'So, as the pigeons are raised...'

0:05:13

0:05:15

I can remember sitting there
watching it, thinking,

0:05:15

0:05:18

"God, this is going on a long time!"
THEY LAUGH

0:05:18

0:05:22

-I don't think I watched all of it.

-No.

-Cos I could never sit still.

0:05:22

0:05:27

So, I'd be out at the back playing
a bit, I'd come in and watch a bit

0:05:27

0:05:30

more and go, "Where's he got to now,
then? Is he at the Mall yet?"

0:05:30

0:05:33

GUNS FIRE

0:05:33

0:05:36

This funeral was known as
Operation Hope Not.

0:05:36

0:05:38

-Was it really?

-Yeah.

0:05:38

0:05:40

-Planned for 12 years.

-Wow.

0:05:41

0:05:45

So, who would you watch
this with, then, Richard?

0:05:45

0:05:47

Who was watching this with you?

0:05:47

0:05:48

I think my mum and dad were
watching it.

0:05:48

0:05:53

And of course,
they both had been through the war.

0:05:53

0:05:56

My dad had been in the
Royal Signals, a captain.

0:05:56

0:06:00

-My mum was in the WAF.

-Yeah?

0:06:00

0:06:03

So, yes, this was a great
commemoration of our fantastic

0:06:03

0:06:06

-wartime leader.

-Yeah, he was, wasn't he?

-Yeah.

0:06:06

0:06:09

'It seems almost to be drifting
up the last of the tide at high

0:06:09

0:06:13

'water on its way to Waterloo.'

0:06:13

0:06:17

-Would you ever have liked to play
Winston Churchill?

-Crikey.

0:06:17

0:06:20

Yeah, I suppose so. Yes.
Yeah. Maybe.

0:06:21

0:06:25

I think you would be a good
Winston Churchill.

0:06:25

0:06:27

-AS CHURCHILL: "Never..."

-AS CHURCHILL: "Never..."

0:06:27

0:06:29

-"..in the field of human
conflicts..."

-"Have so many..."

0:06:29

0:06:32

-".. has so much been owed to so
few."

-I think you should do it.

0:06:32

0:06:34

-Oh, I think...

-AS CHURCHILL: Do you
know...

-That's good.

-No, I don't.

0:06:34

0:06:37

-I sound more like Bruce Forsyth.

-HE BABBLES

0:06:37

0:06:41

HE LAUGHS

0:06:41

0:06:43

So, what was Richard like as a boy?

0:06:43

0:06:45

-Apparently, he never sat still.

-No?

0:06:45

0:06:47

-He was always very, very,
very noisy.

-Mm-hm.

0:06:47

0:06:50

-Always interested in the arts?

-More
in nature and sport than into...

0:06:50

0:06:55

-Oh, really? It's got to be rugby.

-Yes.

0:06:55

0:06:57

Yes. Yeah, I was very keen on rugby,
but also shot putting as well.

0:06:57

0:07:01

I developed an interest in
the shot put and discus.

0:07:01

0:07:03

-And I got quite
passionate about that.

-Yeah.

0:07:03

0:07:05

-Did you get any good at it?

-Well,
I did, yeah. Quite good, actually.

0:07:05

0:07:08

I got... I represented the county
and later on, went up to...

0:07:08

0:07:13

They have these all England sports
and it's great fun.

0:07:13

0:07:17

You turn up at this stadium
and the stadium is packed with

0:07:17

0:07:20

teams from every county in Britain,
you know?

0:07:20

0:07:22

And I was representing Oxfordshire.

0:07:22

0:07:24

-I came third.

-Mm!

0:07:24

0:07:26

Yeah, I was quite pleased with that.

0:07:26

0:07:28

And then started doing
a bit of drama,

0:07:28

0:07:29

but it was always that
kind of thing,

0:07:29

0:07:31

"Yeah, I can do
a bit of that as well.

0:07:31

0:07:32

"Of course,
yeah, I'd like to be an actor."

0:07:32

0:07:34

Never really seriously
thought of myself as an actor.

0:07:34

0:07:37

You know... In fact...

0:07:37

0:07:39

in fact, I still don't.
THEY LAUGH

0:07:39

0:07:42

It's just one of those things that
kind of happened.

0:07:42

0:07:44

-So, your dad was a headmaster.

-He was.

0:07:44

0:07:46

Was he quite strict with you
when it comes to watching TV?

0:07:46

0:07:50

-We certainly... There was certainly
a cut-off point, definitely.

-Yeah.

0:07:50

0:07:53

You know, they'd be watching
Z-Cars and we would be going,

0:07:53

0:07:56

"What's going on?"

0:07:56

0:07:57

"No, you are supposed to be in bed.
You should be asleep by now."

0:07:57

0:08:00

And also
until quite late in the '60s,

0:08:00

0:08:03

I don't think
we were allowed to watch ITV.

0:08:03

0:08:06

-Oh, really?

-Yeah,
had to be BBC.

-Oh, isn't it?

0:08:06

0:08:09

-So, there's a snobbery there.

-Yeah!

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:08:09

0:08:14

I'm sure of it. Yes, I think
it was sort of frowned upon.

0:08:14

0:08:18

"Oh, they are advertising. No, we
will stick with good old Beeb."

0:08:18

0:08:21

-Your next choice is Dad's Choice...

-My dad's choice.

0:08:27

0:08:29

It's something your dad
used to love watching.

0:08:29

0:08:32

-This gentleman - Mr Harry Worth.

-Yes, yes.

0:08:32

0:08:36

RICHARD LAUGHS

0:08:36

0:08:37

How many times did we do this?

0:08:41

0:08:43

-How many times have you wandered
along the shops and done that?

-Yeah.

0:08:43

0:08:47

-Had to do it.

-HE MUTTERS

0:08:47

0:08:48

I showed that to my kids only
recently. I went, "Kids, have a look

0:08:48

0:08:51

"at this." Well, they wet themselves

0:08:51

0:08:52

when I said, "Well, there's
a gentleman called Harry Worth,"

0:08:52

0:08:55

and I'd lost them by that point.

0:08:55

0:08:56

-They were back on their iPads.

-Yes.

-But I did have a moment.

0:08:56

0:08:59

It happens, doesn't it? Just for
a split-second, you sometimes get

0:08:59

0:09:02

-their attention.

-Yeah.
But your dad loved this?

-Loved it.

0:09:02

0:09:04

I can't remember
anything about the show,

0:09:04

0:09:06

-just that title sequence.

-Yeah.

0:09:06

0:09:08

And the fact that he would sit there
roaring his head off.

0:09:08

0:09:10

I wanted to save money.

0:09:10

0:09:12

-You want to save money, sir?

-Yeah.

0:09:12

0:09:13

Well, you've come to the right
place. You can save money here, sir.

0:09:13

0:09:16

-Can I really?

-Indeed you can, sir.

0:09:16

0:09:18

-Now, what did you have for breakfast
this morning?

-Well, let me see.

0:09:18

0:09:21

Breakfast...a boiled egg,
toast and marmalade and cornflakes.

0:09:21

0:09:26

Right. Now, what can we save on
that?

0:09:26

0:09:28

Well, I could do without
the boiled egg. It's true.

0:09:28

0:09:31

-Reminds me very much
of Harry Hill as well.

-Yes, yes.

0:09:31

0:09:34

Well, this is really marvellous.

0:09:34

0:09:36

Well, I've saved over seven
shillings already.

0:09:36

0:09:38

-You've got the idea, sir. I'll leave
you to it.

-Thank you very much.

0:09:38

0:09:43

Ah, what's this?

0:09:43

0:09:45

South African peaches.

0:09:45

0:09:46

Not four and 11, not three and 11,
not two and 11, but one and 11!

0:09:46

0:09:50

Must have one!

0:09:50

0:09:52

So, do you think this was escapism
for your father's hectic life of

0:09:52

0:09:56

-being a...

-Yeah.

-..a headmaster?

-Could be, yeah.

0:09:56

0:09:59

He spent a lot of time being very
proper and strict and quite

0:09:59

0:10:03

austere and he was an ex-military
man, you know, man of the church.

0:10:03

0:10:06

So, to see him relaxed and having
a laugh was great, you know?

0:10:06

0:10:10

And sometimes it would bring out
what my mum called

0:10:10

0:10:14

the giddy goat in him, you know?

0:10:14

0:10:16

-And he'd get a bit, "Wahey," you
know, which was wonderful.

-Yeah.

0:10:16

0:10:19

Yeah, I think that's all I've got
from him,

0:10:19

0:10:21

actually, is the giddy goat bit.
THEY LAUGH

0:10:21

0:10:24

-Sometimes.

-I mean, Harry Worth
was your dad's favourite.

-Yeah.

0:10:24

0:10:27

But did you have some classics? Did
you grow up with some great comedy?

0:10:27

0:10:31

Comedy, slightly later.

0:10:31

0:10:32

-I mean, I think earlier on,
I was into Thunderbirds.

-Yeah.

0:10:32

0:10:36

-Before that Fireball XL5.

-Oh, yes.

0:10:36

0:10:38

And Stingray.

0:10:38

0:10:41

# Stingray! Stingray!

0:10:41

0:10:43

-BOTH:

-# Da-da-da-da-da. #

-Yeah.

0:10:43

0:10:45

# Marina

0:10:45

0:10:47

# Aqua Marina. #

0:10:47

0:10:49

-I loved her. I was in love with her.

-Oh. You was in love with her?

0:10:49

0:10:52

-I was in love with Marina, yeah.

-It was a puppet!

0:10:52

0:10:54

LAUGHTER

0:10:54

0:10:57

-And Lady Penelope.
She was a puppet too.

-Yeah!

0:10:57

0:11:00

-Time for one of your family
favourites.

-All right.

0:11:06

0:11:09

LOUD CHATTER

0:11:09

0:11:13

-Is it Kojak?

-Yes, it is.

-Oh-ho!

0:11:13

0:11:16

-I would try not to miss this.

-There he is, Telly Savalas.

0:11:16

0:11:18

-"Who loves you, baby?"

-Telly Savalas. "Who loves you?"

0:11:18

0:11:21

You let all the other cats go.

0:11:21

0:11:24

-Hands, behind.

-Why I got to get
busted?

0:11:24

0:11:26

'Just check out the acting
and the action.

0:11:26

0:11:28

'It's no wonder that Kojak won
a whole host of Emmys

0:11:28

0:11:31

'and Golden Globes when it blasted
onto our screens in the '70s.

0:11:31

0:11:35

'The flair in the writing

0:11:35

0:11:37

'and the acting was almost as good
as the flares we saw on screen.'

0:11:37

0:11:41

-And the lollipops.

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:11:42

0:11:44

He always had a lollipop and you
know why?

0:11:44

0:11:46

He was trying to give up smoking.

0:11:46

0:11:48

-Oh, is that right?

-Yeah.

0:11:48

0:11:50

Actually, I think... Yes, I
remember that. I remember seeing him

0:11:50

0:11:53

interviewed by Parkinson,
talking about it, yeah.

0:11:53

0:11:55

Meantime, Benny, can you tell me why
an expensive piece of manpower

0:11:55

0:11:58

like myself should be chauffeuring
you around, huh?

0:11:58

0:12:01

It's heavy, lieutenant.
I mean, like millions, maybe.

0:12:01

0:12:03

Millions? Millions of what?

0:12:03

0:12:05

Diamonds.

0:12:05

0:12:07

'Kojak's popularity has certainly
stood the test of time.

0:12:07

0:12:10

'"Who loves you, baby?" made
TV Guide's top 20 catchphrase list

0:12:10

0:12:15

'almost 30 years after Savalas'
last episode was made.'

0:12:15

0:12:19

And how old was you
when you were watching this?

0:12:19

0:12:22

-Ten, 11. It was Saturday night,
wasn't it?

-Yeah.

0:12:22

0:12:24

It was Saturday night. It was like
get all your stuff done.

0:12:24

0:12:27

Yeah, go and play
a bit of sport in the morning,

0:12:27

0:12:29

run around in the afternoon,
get in, have something to eat,

0:12:29

0:12:32

but make sure that you've
finished eating

0:12:32

0:12:34

and done the washing up
by the time Kojak comes on.

0:12:34

0:12:37

-Yeah.

-There they go. Ba-ba!
Yeah, great stuff.

0:12:37

0:12:41

We're moving onto your next clip
now. This is a movie.

0:12:46

0:12:49

This is your biggest influence,
and here's the film.

0:12:49

0:12:53

Oliver!

0:12:53

0:12:55

Oh, yeah. Ollie.

0:12:55

0:12:58

-He looks good, doesn't he?
Oliver Reed?

-Wonderful.

0:12:58

0:13:01

-Great film, isn't it?

-Yeah.

0:13:02

0:13:03

'Ollie Reed's brooding
performance as the villainous

0:13:07

0:13:10

'Bill Sikes has got to be one
of the most famous in film history.

0:13:10

0:13:14

'Not many actors can make such an
impression while saying so little.

0:13:14

0:13:19

'Based on the Dickens novel
Oliver Twist,

0:13:25

0:13:28

'this 1968 movie adaptation
proved its popularity by being

0:13:28

0:13:33

'nominated for 12
and winning six Oscars.'

0:13:33

0:13:36

Absolutely magnetic.

0:13:38

0:13:39

Saw this in the cinema two or three
times with my mum, I think,

0:13:39

0:13:42

and she loved the musicals.
And we had the record.

0:13:42

0:13:48

You couldn't get videos
and DVDs in those days.

0:13:48

0:13:50

Yeah, when they started showing
this on telly, it was, "Oh, yes."

0:13:50

0:13:53

I loved anything Ollie Reed was in,
I just loved his ability to

0:13:53

0:13:57

kind of be on screen and not say
much and just exude such power.

0:13:57

0:14:03

-Charismatic.

-Very charismatic.

0:14:03

0:14:07

Oh, there he is again.

0:14:07

0:14:09

There's Jack Wild, God bless him.

0:14:09

0:14:11

Oliver is back.

0:14:15

0:14:16

Look at his togs.

0:14:16

0:14:18

'Even the younger members of the
cast gave brilliant performances.

0:14:18

0:14:21

'Jack Wild as the Artful Dodger

0:14:21

0:14:23

'who was nominated for an Oscar,
a BAFTA and a Golden Globe.'

0:14:23

0:14:28

Cor, look at this!

0:14:28

0:14:29

I'll bank it for you.

0:14:33

0:14:34

What's that?

0:14:35

0:14:36

-That's mine, Fagin.

-No, no.
No, my dear. Mine.

0:14:38

0:14:43

Ours. You shall have the books.

0:14:43

0:14:45

You hand it over, you avaricious
old skeleton.

0:14:45

0:14:48

Do you think Oliver Reed inspired
you?

0:14:48

0:14:50

Oh, yeah. Definitely, yeah.

0:14:50

0:14:52

This movie in particular?

0:14:52

0:14:54

I think so, yes.

0:14:54

0:14:55

But did it make you think,
"Do you know what,

0:14:55

0:14:58

"this is what I want to do.
I want to be an actor"?

0:14:58

0:15:00

No, I mean,
I didn't know you did that.

0:15:00

0:15:01

I thought... Now and again, I
thought,

0:15:01

0:15:03

"Ooh, I'd love to be a singer,"

0:15:03

0:15:04

but I don't... I didn't know anybody
who did it

0:15:04

0:15:07

or how you did it professionally.
No.

0:15:07

0:15:10

I mean, even later,
when I went to college

0:15:10

0:15:12

and I was studying drama,

0:15:12

0:15:14

even then, I was thinking, "I wonder
what I'm going to do," you know?

0:15:14

0:15:18

It was only, I think, in the final
year of my degree, I thought,

0:15:18

0:15:21

"Oh, maybe I'll have a
crack at that."

0:15:21

0:15:24

-Yeah?

-Yeah.

0:15:24

0:15:26

We're going to move onto your break
now. This is your...

0:15:32

0:15:35

an early TV clip of yourself
as Mad Mick.

0:15:35

0:15:40

Oh, yes.

0:15:40

0:15:42

# If you're blue and you don't know
where to go to

0:15:44

0:15:47

# Why don't you go
where fashion sits?

0:15:47

0:15:49

# Putting on the Ritz. #

0:15:51

0:15:52

-Came out of a stage show called
Bouncers.

-Yes, I remember.

0:15:54

0:15:58

-I did go and see that.

-Right.

0:15:58

0:15:59

So...

0:16:04

0:16:05

they are reopening that disco,
are they?

0:16:05

0:16:08

Look at that. What an entrance.

0:16:08

0:16:10

Let's see how long it stays open
this time, shall we?

0:16:10

0:16:13

The last two others
lasted five hours

0:16:15

0:16:19

between them.

0:16:19

0:16:21

It's a good look, Richard.

0:16:21

0:16:23

Anyone who takes
my costume is going to finish up

0:16:25

0:16:28

in the end bed of the infirmary.

0:16:28

0:16:30

Hey.

0:16:31

0:16:32

If you happen to be passing
the hospital,

0:16:34

0:16:37

stitch this up!

0:16:37

0:16:39

LAUGHTER

0:16:40

0:16:43

I wouldn't like to cross you,
Richard.

0:16:45

0:16:49

-Wow.

-I mean, what do you base
characters like that...?

0:16:50

0:16:54

Cos you're not like that.

0:16:54

0:16:55

You are kindly Richard that we
all know and love.

0:16:55

0:16:58

But where does that come from?

0:16:58

0:17:01

Got it playing in the front
row of rugby, I think, yeah.

0:17:01

0:17:04

"Come here, then. Let's go."
HE MUMBLES

0:17:04

0:17:07

Maybe a bit of that.

0:17:07

0:17:09

I remember...

0:17:09

0:17:11

I haven't seen that for about 30
years or since it was on, really.

0:17:11

0:17:16

-Yeah, fun times, fun times.

-Yeah.

-But he was a complete psychopath.

0:17:16

0:17:21

LAUGHTER

0:17:21

0:17:23

-Him or you?

-The Ritz.
No, him, him. Yes, yes.

0:17:23

0:17:26

No, I think you captured it there.

0:17:26

0:17:28

I mean, you are suitably evil
enough.

0:17:28

0:17:30

Did you love playing that part?

0:17:30

0:17:31

Yeah, great fun. Great fun. I think
it was quite popular.

0:17:31

0:17:35

Oh, no, it was very popular.
I remember seeing it.

0:17:35

0:17:37

I remember somebody told me
it got something like...

0:17:37

0:17:40

It was BBC Two and I think it
got 4.2 million one week, but...

0:17:40

0:17:46

-I don't think the top brass
at the Beeb liked it.

-Really?

0:17:46

0:17:50

Yeah, they were going to make
a second series called

0:17:50

0:17:53

The Continental and then halfway
through preparation for that,

0:17:53

0:17:58

they said, "No." They decided
they didn't want the series.

0:17:58

0:18:00

They are just going to do
a Christmas special.

0:18:00

0:18:02

Said, "OK, fair enough." Onwards
and upwards, on to other things.

0:18:02

0:18:06

And you have gone onwards
and upwards.

0:18:06

0:18:07

I mean, Who Framed Roger Rabbit.

0:18:07

0:18:09

-That was straight after this,
actually.

-Was it, really?

-Yes.

0:18:09

0:18:12

-Yeah, yeah.

-And you enjoyed that?

-Very much.

0:18:12

0:18:16

A very different way of working.

0:18:16

0:18:18

-Cos half the characters weren't
there, were they?

-That's right.

0:18:18

0:18:21

Exactly. And it took...

0:18:21

0:18:22

Because of that, the filming was
that much more complicated.

0:18:22

0:18:27

And not only that, we were
filming on stages which had

0:18:27

0:18:31

a kind of a gap underneath
for puppeteers and they had gantries

0:18:31

0:18:37

for puppeteers above us.

0:18:37

0:18:39

And then we had to film
at different speeds.

0:18:39

0:18:42

Roger.

0:18:44

0:18:46

'Who Framed Roger Rabbit really
pushed the boundaries

0:18:46

0:18:48

'when it came to mixing live action
and animation.

0:18:48

0:18:51

'And considering the actors often
had to play to cartoon characters

0:18:51

0:18:55

'that weren't even there, the
quality of acting is incredible.

0:18:55

0:18:59

'Pretty hair-raising stuff for
Richard

0:19:01

0:19:03

'who played wisecracking Angelo

0:19:03

0:19:06

'and there he is.'

0:19:06

0:19:07

# I...I love to... #

0:19:07

0:19:09

I forget how many scenes I was in.

0:19:09

0:19:11

What, five, six, seven scenes,
something like that.

0:19:11

0:19:13

I was there for about two
or three months, I seem to recall.

0:19:13

0:19:16

-Really?

-Yeah, it was very,
very detailed.

0:19:16

0:19:18

Imagine what Bob Hoskins
must've been going through.

0:19:18

0:19:20

Oh, he was delightful, but, yeah,

0:19:20

0:19:23

going slightly loopy with
the acting to fresh air, you know?

0:19:23

0:19:26

So, those sort of tough roles,
you know,

0:19:26

0:19:30

-I mean, you've done of few of them.
The Planet Of The Apes.

-Yes.

0:19:30

0:19:33

How did that come about? I mean, did
you have to go and now study apes?

0:19:33

0:19:37

How I got the role was, I think

0:19:37

0:19:38

I'd been working with Andy Serkis
on video games with

0:19:38

0:19:43

performance capture, the thing
that he made famous with Gollum

0:19:43

0:19:47

and Weta Workshop in New Zealand.

0:19:47

0:19:49

What is performance capture?

0:19:49

0:19:51

It's this thing where you're put in
a very tight, very tight suit

0:19:51

0:19:55

and they put dots on all of your
joints

0:19:55

0:19:57

and they put dots all over your
face.

0:19:57

0:19:59

And then you have, I think,

0:19:59

0:20:01

it's something like 360 cameras
surrounding you.

0:20:01

0:20:05

It's called The Volume.

0:20:05

0:20:06

It's a technical word,
The Volume.

0:20:06

0:20:09

And they track your movements
and they track your face.

0:20:09

0:20:12

So, everything you do can then
be captured on computers

0:20:12

0:20:16

and mapped onto a puppet, which is
an amazing way of working.

0:20:16

0:20:21

-Well, shall we have a look at you
in Planet Of The Apes?

-OK.

0:20:21

0:20:24

-Let's have a little look.

-OK. Yeah.

0:20:24

0:20:26

'2011 saw the release of
Rise Of The Planet Of The Apes,

0:20:30

0:20:34

'the first reboot
of the world-famous franchise.

0:20:34

0:20:37

'And here comes Richard as the
silverback gorilla Buck.'

0:20:39

0:20:43

HE GROWLS

0:20:47

0:20:48

What is going through the gorilla's
mind at this point as he's

0:20:48

0:20:51

let out of the cage?

0:20:51

0:20:52

This is freedom for the first time
for him for years.

0:20:54

0:20:57

-Yeah.

-From Caesar.

0:20:57

0:20:59

HE GRUNTS

0:21:05

0:21:08

Go on, then. Go on, then.

0:21:10

0:21:11

So, that's you running around?

0:21:26

0:21:28

Hey, listen now.
Now then, steady on.

0:21:28

0:21:30

Some of it is.

0:21:30

0:21:32

But some of it is also
a wonderful Canadian gymnast,

0:21:32

0:21:35

part of the Canadian Olympic team
who did a lot of very fast

0:21:35

0:21:40

stuff and a lot of up the tree
and things like that,

0:21:40

0:21:43

but, yeah, they got me to do it as
well.

0:21:43

0:21:45

So, how do you master
the moves of being a gorilla?

0:21:45

0:21:48

Some of the performers worked with
Cirque du Soleil.

0:21:48

0:21:50

There is a lovely guy called Terry
who developed these adapted

0:21:50

0:21:55

-crutches.

-Right.

-Yeah.

0:21:55

0:21:56

-To make your arms longer.

-To give
you that stance, yeah.

0:21:56

0:21:59

To give you that... Because it's
quite hard to do the movement

0:21:59

0:22:01

unless... A lot of it was just
learning to work with these crutches

0:22:01

0:22:04

and learning how to walk and move.

0:22:04

0:22:06

When I got a phone call from
Andy Serkis, saying,

0:22:06

0:22:08

"Do you fancy coming out to
Vancouver

0:22:08

0:22:10

"to be my silverback on Planet...?"

0:22:10

0:22:11

I was like...
HE STAMMERS

0:22:11

0:22:14

This is King Kong asking me
if I want go...

0:22:14

0:22:17

I mean, what an honour,
what an accolade.

0:22:17

0:22:19

And we had lots of resource material
to watch as well.

0:22:19

0:22:23

Just get the movement right.

0:22:23

0:22:25

Did you ever think you'd be
playing a gorilla?

0:22:25

0:22:29

-What do you think your dad would
have said?

-I don't know.

0:22:30

0:22:33

-I think he might have quite
liked it.

-Yeah, yeah.

0:22:33

0:22:35

The idea of me being an actor.
A lot of fun.

0:22:35

0:22:38

I think I would've just said,
"Dad, let your giddy goat out.

0:22:38

0:22:41

-"Go with it. Come on!"

-Yeah.

-Yeah.

0:22:41

0:22:45

So, Richard, Buck the gorilla is not
the most famous animal you

0:22:45

0:22:49

-have played.

-Now, would you be
referring to a certain pig?

0:22:49

0:22:53

I would be. You played Daddy in
Peppa Pig.

0:22:53

0:22:56

The voice of Daddy Pig. Yes.

0:22:56

0:22:57

Daddy Pig.
And so, how did this come about?

0:22:57

0:23:01

Through a mutual friend.

0:23:01

0:23:03

I met Phil, the producer, at a gig,
actually.

0:23:03

0:23:06

I think his daughter was playing
drums

0:23:06

0:23:09

and my friend's daughter was playing
drums.

0:23:09

0:23:11

They were big friends at school.

0:23:11

0:23:13

And he said, "Hold on, we've got
something that I think you

0:23:14

0:23:18

"might be right for.
Will you come in and have a test?"

0:23:18

0:23:22

I said, "I'd love to, yes."

0:23:22

0:23:23

And soon as you saw it
and read the script, you thought,

0:23:23

0:23:26

"Oh, this is a bit special.
This is a bit lovely."

0:23:26

0:23:28

And he said,
"Well, we'd like you to do it."

0:23:28

0:23:30

But I was just about to start work
on Terry Gilliam's Brothers Grimm.

0:23:30

0:23:34

I said, "Well, I'm...I'm flying out
to Prague

0:23:34

0:23:37

"in about three days' time."

0:23:37

0:23:39

He said, "Well, we better book a
studio, then."

0:23:39

0:23:43

-So, we did all of the first series
in one day.

-Really?

0:23:43

0:23:45

I think we started at about
7.30 in the morning.

0:23:45

0:23:48

We went through till about eight.

0:23:48

0:23:49

I mean, they're only five-minute
episodes, but even so.

0:23:49

0:23:52

Um, it was great.

0:23:52

0:23:54

And did you ever think
it would be as successful as it is?

0:23:54

0:23:57

I thought it was going to be
successful, but wow!

0:23:57

0:24:00

I mean who can...who can prophesy
that kind of...success?

0:24:00

0:24:05

-Yeah, should we have a little look?

-Go on, then.

-Peppa Pig.

-Yeah.

0:24:05

0:24:09

Richard Ridings.

0:24:09

0:24:11

-PEPPA GIGGLES

-Daddy, can we help put up the

0:24:11

0:24:13

picture?

0:24:13

0:24:15

You can watch and then you'll learn
how to do it properly.

0:24:15

0:24:18

First, I need a tape measure.

0:24:18

0:24:20

'Here's a typically hilarious
example of Daddy Pig's antics.

0:24:22

0:24:26

'Trying to do the right thing to
help out around the house,

0:24:26

0:24:29

'but as usual,
it doesn't go quite to plan.

0:24:29

0:24:32

'Poor Daddy Pig.'

0:24:32

0:24:34

DADDY LAUGHS

0:24:34

0:24:36

Feels like the character was
written for you, Richard.

0:24:36

0:24:39

It does, doesn't it?

0:24:39

0:24:40

Stand back, children
and watch a craftsman at work.

0:24:40

0:24:44

'So clever, the guys who write...
Mark and Neville who write this.'

0:24:44

0:24:47

-SHE SNORTS

-Don't break the wall, Daddy.

0:24:47

0:24:50

DADDY LAUGHS
Don't be silly, Peppa.

0:24:50

0:24:53

LOUD BANG

0:24:53

0:24:55

HE SNORTS
Easy as pie.

0:24:55

0:24:57

CRACKING
Oh. It's not meant to do that.

0:24:57

0:25:01

Why are they so clever to write?

0:25:01

0:25:03

I think to find something for
a preschool audience that appeals

0:25:03

0:25:08

so much to parents as well...

0:25:08

0:25:11

LAUGHTER

0:25:11

0:25:13

-Oh, Daddy.

-SHE SNORTS

0:25:13

0:25:16

Now you really have broken the wall.

0:25:16

0:25:18

Hm.

0:25:18

0:25:20

Do you think Mummy will notice?

0:25:20

0:25:22

Oh, yes, I think she might.

0:25:22

0:25:24

LAUGHTER

0:25:24

0:25:27

He seems to get himself into a lot
of scrapes, Daddy Pig.

0:25:27

0:25:29

-Oh, absolutely. Yeah.

-Yeah.

-And...
HE LAUGHS

0:25:29

0:25:33

I mean, that seems to be one of the
central movements of the series,

0:25:33

0:25:36

isn't it? "Daddy will do it.
Watch Daddy.

0:25:36

0:25:38

"Daddy knows how to do it. Oops.
Oh, yeah.

0:25:38

0:25:42

-"I'm a bit of an expert in this,"
isn't it?

-But he loves his kids.

0:25:42

0:25:45

-He ADORES his kids.

-Hm.

0:25:45

0:25:47

I think it's beautifully conceived,
beautifully written

0:25:47

0:25:50

and I'm very proud to be involved
with it, actually.

0:25:50

0:25:52

Do you ever get recognised for your
voice? You ever...?

0:25:52

0:25:55

It's funny... In the early days...

0:25:55

0:25:57

Say, "Hang on, you're not
Daddy Pig, are you?"

0:25:57

0:25:59

Do you know... I mean, these days, I
think most people sort of say...

0:25:59

0:26:02

HE MUMBLES

0:26:02

0:26:04

They kind of know and I love leaving
little messages for people.

0:26:04

0:26:07

But very early on, I remember

0:26:07

0:26:10

I was in Sainsbury's with Freya,
my daughter,

0:26:10

0:26:12

and out of the corner of my eye,
I saw this little girl going,

0:26:12

0:26:15

"Mummy."

0:26:15

0:26:17

You know, tugging on Mummy's dress
going, "Mummy."

0:26:17

0:26:20

And then you've got the, "Excuse me,
you sound very similar to...

0:26:20

0:26:24

"to Daddy Pig."

0:26:24

0:26:25

"Well...I am, you know?"

0:26:25

0:26:29

You do a little
bit of the voice for them.

0:26:29

0:26:32

The thing that always slightly
gets me is the mummies

0:26:32

0:26:35

and daddies that want to get
a photo of you.

0:26:35

0:26:38

I say, "No, no, don't do that.
Don't do that.

0:26:38

0:26:40

"What would your children or your
nieces and nephews want

0:26:40

0:26:43

"with a photograph of a, you know,
balding 50-year-old?

0:26:43

0:26:47

"They want Daddy Pig."

0:26:47

0:26:48

-So, I do little voice messages.

-Mm-hm.

0:26:48

0:26:51

So, is it one of the roles that has
given you the most satisfaction?

0:26:51

0:26:54

-Yes.

-Really?

-Yes. Because it...

0:26:54

0:26:56

You know, every week,
sometimes every day of every week,

0:26:56

0:27:00

you know, somebody will say,
"Would you mind?"

0:27:00

0:27:03

-"Of course, I'd love to."

-Ah.

-Yeah.

0:27:03

0:27:05

-And of course, we have seen
you in Dickensian.

-Yeah.

0:27:05

0:27:08

-And have you enjoyed that playing
Mr Bumble?

-Very much.

-Really?

0:27:08

0:27:11

-It's very...

-She's giving you a hard
time.

-She is giving me a hard time.

0:27:11

0:27:15

Oh... Ugh!

0:27:15

0:27:17

What are you watching at the moment?

0:27:21

0:27:23

At the moment, watching a bit of
War And Peace.

0:27:23

0:27:26

Watching a bit of Jericho cos
I'm in that as well with ITV.

0:27:26

0:27:29

-There's nothing wrong with that.

-No.

-You a fan of Sherlock?

0:27:29

0:27:32

And Sherlock, of course!

0:27:32

0:27:34

-Really?

-Oh, crikey, yes.

0:27:34

0:27:35

Yeah, wonderful. Wonderful.

0:27:35

0:27:38

Can I ask you now to pick a theme
tune for us to play out with?

0:27:38

0:27:42

Oh, there are many, many,
many I could pick,

0:27:42

0:27:45

but I think, I think it's got
to be The Monkees.

0:27:45

0:27:48

-The Monkees?

-The Monkees!

-Really?

-Oh, why not? We've had gorillas.

0:27:48

0:27:52

-Yeah.

-The Monkees.
I used to love The Monkees.

-Yeah?

0:27:52

0:27:55

The Monkees or The Banana Splits,
but I think The Monkees.

0:27:55

0:27:58

All right, we're going to go out
with The Monkees.

0:27:58

0:28:00

And my thanks to you and my thanks
to YOU for watching

0:28:00

0:28:03

The TV That Made Me.

0:28:03

0:28:04

We'll see you next time. Bye-bye.

0:28:04

0:28:06

# Hey, hey, we're the Monkees

0:28:08

0:28:11

# And people say we monkey around

0:28:11

0:28:14

# But we're too busy singing

0:28:14

0:28:16

# To put anybody down

0:28:16

0:28:21

# Wahoo! #

0:28:21

0:28:23

The TV That Made Me returns for a sizzling second series with legendary entertainer Brian Conley, as he journeys through the fantastic world of television with some of our favourite celebrities who have chosen the TV moments that have shaped their lives.

Much loved character actor Richard Ridings joins Brian on his sofa to look back at the classic TV that helped set him on the road to stardom and a varied career playing everyone from Mr Bumble in TV hit Dickensian to Daddy Pig in children's classic Peppa Pig. Richard shares stories of his childhood as a boy sportsman, discusses his early love of physical comedy in the shape of Harry Worth and tells us about the inspiration he gained from watching everyone's favourite hell-raiser Oliver Reed, play the ultimate baddy, Bill Sikes, in the Dicken's inspired musical Oliver! We even get a masterclass in acting as Richard reprises his role as Buck in the Hollywood blockbuster Rise of the Planet of the Apes right there on the sofa.